


Surprise me

by Cleverbreawisekylan



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: F/M, because these two scaring each other is my favourite thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 11:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21252785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cleverbreawisekylan/pseuds/Cleverbreawisekylan
Summary: 5 times that Kylan and Brea surprised each other and one time that Naia surprised them both.





	Surprise me

[1]

His lips gently press onto his firca, Kylan choosing a string of soft notes to fill the air. As they hang around him, he feels a sort of peace that he’s been stranger to for a long time. The woods are silent at the early hour save for his music – even the winds seem strangely still.

Kylan sits with his back against a twisting tree trunk, legs crossed neatly beneath him. He continues to serenade the forest with his notes, his newest song lifting the weight of his troubles away.

The song come to an abrupt halt when he hears a loud _crack_ in the distance. Blood running cold, he stares in the direction of its origin.

_Crunch_.

Heart picking up rhythm, he shakily gets to his feet and picks up the sword that lay forgotten next to him. As the noises continue, he calls out a nervous ‘_hello_?’ that is so quiet he barely hears him himself. Still, he steps forward toward the noise, wondering who else it could be as the suns are barely peeking over the treeline.

He sucks in a breath. Could it be a skeksis? Or something much worse?

Kylan clutches his fingers tighter around his weapon, praying to Thra that he still remembers how to use the sword.

His inside feel like jelly that he wobbles unsteadily on. Even still, he powers through with his eyes narrowed and lips sewn tightly together in concentration. The trees become denser the further he goes – they are unimaginably tall, so tall that the sunlight barely cracks through the thicket.

The sounds have grown silent, much like the world around him. Kylan can only hear his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears. _There’s nothing there_, he convinces himself. “Probably just a fizzgig.” He mutters under his breath and begins to back away toward the opening in the foliage that is not blanketed in darkness.

He keeps his gaze set behind him for fear that something might decide to pop out at him.

So when a mass bumps into him from the opposite direction, he is definitely _not_ expecting that. He feels it first, then hears a loud _thud_ that gets muffled beneath his scream.

“**_Ah_**_!_”

“_Ooooof_!”

Flipping his head around, he points the sword at the attacker, ready to take action if need be.

Except there’s no one there.

“Uh . . . what the . . ?” It’s only when he peers around in confusion that he realises that attacker is now lay on the floor beneath him and instead of some sort of monster it is in fact the youngest Vapran Princess.

“Brea!” He jumps, frowning when he sees her lay amongst a pile of kindling. Without hesitation, he reaches a hand to help her onto her feet, absentmindedly thinking how soft and delicate hers feels within his. “I’m sorry to startle you. I heard a noise in the woods and feared the worst.”

Although pale faced and breathless, she doesn’t look angry. “It’s okay, Kylan.” Then a smile spreads onto her lips, bringing surprise to his own expression. “But we have _got_ to stop meeting like this. I don’t think my heart can take it.”

He laughs too, airily and relieved. Kylan helps her pick up the firewood and together they walk back to Stone – in – the - Wood together with their laughter filling the morning air.

[2]

Brea sits glued to the book as she has many times in the library. This time, however, she is not reading for the pure joy of it. Her eyes scour every word from the page in hopes of finding more information about the lost shard of the Crystal of Truth. She fears not, but that doesn’t stop her from persevering for any snippet of knowledge.

Sat amongst piles and piles of scrolls and pages, she has her legs curled up to herself and the book rested neatly on her knees. Her journal lays beside her, readily awaiting use. At the moment, it remains pretty much ignored.

So invested in her reading, she doesn’t hear the footsteps approach her even as they come to a halt. She turns the page softly, eyes beginning to wear out from such intense focus.

Then she hears a throat being cleared.

Immediately, she loses the grip on the book which falls onto a wonky pile and sends them askew. Papers fly every which way while Brea throws out a loud gasp of surprise, eyes widening. The dark haired Spriton now stands in place of the book, at least having the decency to look apologetic. “How long have you been standing there?!” she exclaims.

“Only a few seconds,” he promises. “I did call your name.”

Her cheeks flood with a pink hue. Had she really been that distracted? She sucks in a breath and lifts her gaze fully to Kylan who only stares back. Her lips curve downwards, “did you need something?”

“_Oh_.” He blinks, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts. “Yes, Rian was looking for you. He wanted to discuss an issue at stone – in – the – wood.”

She sighs, having wanted to read for that little bit longer. Still, duty calls and she had offered to help Rian whenever he needed it. After all, that is what friends do.

The book is gently lay down to be returned to another time and her journal lifted before she places it neatly in her sleeve. As she stands to leave, she realises that Kylan is waiting patiently as though ready to accompany her.

Kylan wears a guilty smile. “I really didn’t mean to frighten you.” He speaks honestly. Something about his tone and the way his dark eyes stare straight into her core brings a gentle smile to Brea’s face. They begin to walk in synch, stepping into the busy streets of Ha’rar.

She can feel him flush against her as they navigate through all the gelfling and when she turns to face him he is unbelievably close. Brea doesn’t complain about it. 

[3]

She listens intently to Rian’s plan, another search party for Deet that she fears is doomed to fail. Even Rian wears a look of exhaustion, eyes weary and dull – just the smallest slither of hope lies behind them. Even with her own determination, her head insists that their efforts are fruitless.

“Alright everyone.” Rian speaks. “Weapon up and split off into your groups. Remember, do not leave your groups. We will meet back here before dawn.”

His words are followed by a series of nods and murmurs from the large gathering who all spread out. Brea heads toward the armoury with Seladon by her side. The two walk in comfortable silence, neither ever having been too talkative when not arguing with the other. For now, she will take the silence over that.

Her sister looks troubled as they walk and while Brea assumes the pressure of her position as All – Maudra is still overwhelming her. She frowns, “is everything okay?”

Seladon blinks, rising her gaze from the forest floor. Her expression answers Brea’s question. “I have lost count as to how many times Rian has gelfling searching for this Deet. I fear our efforts are needed elsewhere.” Her words are spoken truly, like a true leader.

Brea knows that her sister is probably right, but her heart yearns for her missing friend and she finds them hitting a nerve instead. “If Deet is in trouble, we need to find her.” She sighs, “I just hope that she’s okay.”

Her sister bites her tongue, holding back whatever is lurking behind, and they follow the flow of gelfling towards the swords lay in front of the armoury. Rian insists that they all take some form of weapon as the skeksis may be hiding in their castle but who knows what scheming they are up to. As she nears the front of the lines, she reaches for the closest weapon to her, gasping when another hand suddenly appears and grazes against hers.

Both jerk away at the contact. Brea’s gaze follows the arm to its owner, finding Kylan staring at her in surprise. “Oh! I didn’t see you there, Brea.” He looks to the weapon, picking it up and handing it toward her, “did you want this one?”

She smiles softly, accepting it from his grasp. “Thank you.”

The exchange is short and once he has his own sword he returns to his spot standing with Naia and Gurjin. Brea doesn’t realise that she’s watching him walk away until Seladon steps forward.

“Brea? What are you staring at?”

Her eyes widen in surprise and she gives her head a firm shake. “Nothing.” She insists. As she turns, she doesn’t catch the way that Kylan throws a look over his shoulder at her.

[4]

“Kylan!”

He slowly lifts his head from the scrolls he’s entertaining to Gurjin who haphazardly enters the room and comes to a halt before him. The drenchen’s features do little to hide the mischief within, his voice laced with the same tones, “I need your help with something.”

Eyes widening, he frowns softly. “_My_ help?”

“Yes.” He grins. “Rian has been foolish enough to think that he can prank me when I’m not expecting it . . .” Gurjin catches himself. “Not that I’d be scared of him, but let’s just say he has succeeded . . . and I need to get revenge.”

There is a long pause, the entire time his friend’s gaze becoming more and more intense. Kylan shifts nervously on the balls of his feet, knowing exactly where this is going. “Revenge?” he plays along.

“Only a little.” He places a hand on Kylan’s shoulder. “The thing is, _I_ can’t scare him. Too obvious. I asked Naia first but she told me to go away.” _Sounds like Naia_, Kylan thinks with a soft smile and a nod. “So that leaves you!”

His stomach sinks. “Me?” The Spriton begins to shake his head, moving from Gurjin’s grasp. “No, no, no. I don’t want to get involved with this.”

“Oh come on!” He encourages. “What’s life without a little fun?” And he’s right, Kylan knows this. Yet the Spriton isn’t exactly used to these sort of teenage shenanigans, having felt completely out of place for most of his juvenile years. Still, even now he often struggles to adopt the carefree moments that his friend’s spontaneously have.

Gurjin’s face is eager, pleading – he tries once more. “I will give you two more sword lessons a week if you do this for me.”

“Are you bribing me?” he deadpans.

“Most definitely.”

He hesitates. “I don’t think . . .”

“Rian would never suspect you.” He insists. “Please?” When Kylan remains silent, Gurjin persists. “Please, please, _please, please, please.”_

Kylan sucks in a sharp sigh. “Fine, I’ll do it. But if Rian does something drastic to me because of this then . . . then . . .” He frowns, searching for some sort of convincing threat but coming up empty handed. “No more broth for you.”

Gurjin stares at him, expression blank but eyes shining with humour. “Noted.”

Before Kylan can react, Gurjin grabs a hold of his shoulders and guides him in the direction of the door. He stops him just behind it, hidden out of sight before he grins. “I told Rian to meet me here in a few minutes. So just stay there and when he comes in scare away.”

It seems strangely simple, but Kylan gave his word and he doesn’t question Gurjin’s orders even though his gut is screaming otherwise.

He can’t deny that he begins to feel a boyish excitement growing in the pit of his stomach and laughter starting to bubble up his throat. Gurjin takes himself to the other side of the room, seating himself at the dimly lit desk by the oval window.

It doesn’t take long for soft footsteps to approach and the nerves come in bucket loads when the handle rattles. His eyes catch Gurjin’s for a second, the Drenchen sat smirking in his spot even as the door opens. Heart beating wildly, he licks at his dry lips and readies himself as the door fully swings open.

With unexpectedly fast reflexes, he jumps forward and holds up his hands as though a terrifying skeksis itself. “**_AHHH!_**” But in place of Rian’s rich brown hair are long, blonde locks. It takes him a matter of seconds to realise that those amber eyes that grow in surprise also do not belong to Rian. The shrill scream that follows confirms it all.

“BREA.” It is supposed to be a whisper yet he somehow ends up screaming her name at her.

“Kylan!” Her voice is nothing short of chastising. “What are you _doing_?”

“I . . . uh – well . . .” Kylan frowns deeply, forehead creasing with thought as he tries to explain. “You’re not Rian!”

“No,” she speaks incredulously, “_I’m not_. Why were you hiding behind the door?” As he lets his gaze fully settle on her, he realises she is breathing heavily with a hand held over her pounding heart and guilt settles in his stomach.

“The door?” He peers to the inanimate object, begging that it might offer some sort of answer. It doesn’t. Instead, he tries a glance toward Gurjin who is laughing so hard that he clutches at his sides. That’s when it sinks in.

There was no Rian. There was no revenge.

_This was a set up._

“Gurjin!” His attempt at sounding stern fails as his pink face only fuels Gurjin’s laughter. Beside him, a mystified Brea stares at the scene in utter confusion.

[5]

Brea gently knocks on the door of the room that Kylan and Gurjin have been sharing, frowning when there is no response.

She tries again.

Nothing.

With a frown, she wonders whether they are even in there and creaks the door open just a slither. Peaking through, spies a form on one of the bed sleeping soundly. A smile slides onto her lips as she realises it’s Kylan.

She doesn’t notice as the door falls open further, her foot crossing the threshold into the room. She had been searching for Gurjin, yet she’s not unhappy to find the Spriton in the room. Brea observes him silently. He’s curled up under the blanket, a peaceful expression strewn across his features.

He shifts in his sleep and she recoils, fearing getting caught. In her haste to leave unnoticed, she spins quickly and her foot catches a stack of books and scrolls lined up. They drop to the wooden floor with a series of clatters and bangs.

In an instant, Kylan sits up straight with wide eyes. “**_Wha_** \- huh . . . who’s there?!” he demands to know, voice etched with fear.

Brea pokes her head around the door that she’s currently using to hide behind. “It’s me!” she squeaks sheepishly, stepping out further. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” She catches the exhaustion deep in his eyes. “I was just looking for Gurjin. And I knocked over your books . . . which I didn’t meant to do.” Her ears flatten, “I was trying to be quiet, I swear.”

“Brea.” He sighs. “_Of_ _course_ it’s you.” Then he smiles, “who else has the talent of scaring me half to death on a daily basis?”

“Hey,” she starts stubbornly. “You frighten me too!”

He gives her a look, but Brea can only giggle at how wild his hair looks. Not to mention the tired lines under his eyes. A little voice keeps insisting how adorable he looks. Kylan heaves in a sigh, then rubs at his eyes, “you are seriously trying to blame me?”

“Yes.” Brea stands haughtily, head held high even though she is fully away that she is the one who just broke him from his slumber.

Kylan can only shake his head in disbelief.

[+1]

Kylan slowly pulls off his torn shirt, wincing as his wound throbs with pain upon the movement. The tattered and blood soaked material is thrown to the side before he peers down to his chest. Whatever the beast had been, it has made three jagged cuts along his skin, deep enough for blood to trickle down, but not so deep as to cause serious damage. He hopes, anyway.

He shudders as he recalls to incident, unsure of _what_ had attacked him. All he remembers is a huge, black creature with soulless eyes and a bulbous shape. It had moved clumsily, but that hadn’t stopped the havoc it caused.

Before he can dwell on it too longer, the door bursts open with such force that the room appears to shake. Kylan reels back and lunges for the nearest object to protect himself, which just so happens to be an empty gourd.

“I just heard!” Brea bursts from behind the door like a whirlwind and heads so quickly toward him that she almost doesn’t stop in time. He catches her just in time before she barrels into him, the gourd clattering to the floor. She stands breathless in front of him, but still manages to speak. “Are you okay? What happened?” Before he can even muster a response, her eyes become glued to the open wounds on his chest. “Oh, _Kylan_.”

Her expression carries the uttermost concern, face troubled. He tries his best to put her worries at ease. “I’m fine. It’s only a flesh wound.”

Brea’s frown only deepens. “Sit down.” She leads him back to his seat so that she can fully inspect the wound. “What did this to you?”

Sighing, he gives his head a soft shake. “I have never seen a creature like it before. It seemed to come out of nowhere but . . . when I first laid my eyes upon it I felt cold. The thing smelled of death.”

The Vapran’s eyes are wide as saucers and Kylan feels himself getting lost in them. His trance is only broken as she softly speaks. “Show me.”

He obeys her, lifting his scratched and cut hand to meet her unscathed one. His stomach is in knots the moment they connect and he begins the dreamfast. The scene is more chaotic than he remembers, shouting and screaming only overwhelmed by the scuttling noises of his attackers. They near him once more – he prepares himself to live through the painful blow. Kylan wants nothing more than to end the dreamfast, to banish the creatures from his mind.

But it’s Brea who pulls away first.

He feels the loss of connection in an instant, returning to their reality. All of Kylan’s muscles are tense, painfully so, and his features are tightly wound into an expression of upset.

When he looks to Brea in question, tears verge on her eyes. “Why did you stop?”

Sadness hangs off of her. “I didn’t want to see you get hurt.” She replies honestly, casting her gaze down toward his wound. Kylan feels his heart clench at the way her words are spoken and he manages to muster the smallest of smiles.

Brea spies the hot water and cloth sat beside him. “Here,” she starts, moving to sit on the bed beside him, “let me help you.”

“Thank you, Brea.”

He watches as she delicately rings the cloth out before turning to him. Brea is uncharacteristically quiet as she faces him. After a long pause, she reaches out and gently cleans away at the blood. Her touch is soft, each movement made with the uttermost care as not to hurt him.

If it stings, he really doesn’t notice. Kylan’s attention is most definitely lost to the princess. As she diligently works away, he studies the features of her face. Like all gelfling these days, she wears worry lines across her skin, but that doesn’t take away from her beauty. If anything, it adds another depth into it. And beautiful she is. It’s a known fact that the princesses of Ha’rar had been blessed with good looks, only seeing it in person is something else.

_Especially_ Brea.

From her delicately long locks to her glistening eyes, he can’t bring his gaze from his friend. Her mouth is pursed together as she concentrates, her thin lips looking awfully inviting and –

Kylan frowns, pushing those thoughts from his head in an instant. Now is not the time for romance and besides, he is hardly the best gelfling to swoon Brea. Not some song teller from Sami Thicket. He can’t even handle a sword properly. He visibly deflates at that point, so much so that Brea takes notice.

She tilts her head, “Did I hurt you?” Her ministrations pause.

Blinking, he abandons his thoughts. “Huh?”

“You looked as though you were in pain.”

“Oh? No. I was merely thinking.” He then lies, “the wound actually feels much better - you don’t need to worry.”

“It looks quite bad.” She concludes, fingers hovering over the flesh. Her other hands lifts to take hold of his shoulder and hold him steady. The feel of her on his bare flesh almost sends Kylan into a frenzy and he realises how accidentally intimate this moment has become. He never thought that he would be half undressed in front of Brea but here they are, the pair separated by mere inches.

He swallows thickly, the air surrounding them heavy with something he can’t quite put his finger on. Kylan nods. “I have had worse,” he says honestly, “nothing to fret over.”

“I can’t help it,” she confesses, “it seems as though the world is falling apart these days.” Brea’s eyes become misty, her lower lip quivering. “All I can do is worry.”

“I understand. Thra is a different place it feels.”

Brea nods. “The darkening . . . these monsters – Thra grows colder every day. And now you’ve been hurt –”

“I told you not to worry about –”

“But I do.” She cuts him off, voice firm and sure. “I don’t want _anything_ to happen to you, Kylan.”

Her words hover in the thick air around them, spoken with sincerity and conviction and . . . **_fear_**. Lots of fear. Kylan becomes hyper aware of her fingers on his shoulder, the closing gap between the pair as their gazes lock tightly together. Without thinking, he reaches out and places his hand over the one that lays in her lap.

Brea lips curve upwards slightly at the contact. She drops the rag and entwines her fingers within his. The act is one of unity.

He can hear his heartbeat pulsing in his ears, his skin warm and flushed. Brea’s left hand slowly sweeps down from his shoulder across his chest, leaving a tingle in its trail. Kylan feels utterly exposed and nervous yet he’s never felt more _alive_.

He wants to lean forward and kiss her, to feel those soft lips pushing against his. But he fears that doing so will complicate things and more than anything he fears she won’t reciprocate, even as they now so clearly share a compassionate moment.

Kylan never gets the chance.

“What have you done now, Kylan?” Naia steps into the room with a sigh, her healing equipment neatly held in her arms.

Her eyes barely widen as she spies the two together but Kylan and Brea share a fright. Both nearly jump out of their skin, bolting upright and jumping apart. Brea places her arms around herself as though to keep her hands off of Kylan, while he wears a sheepish smile.

“Oh.” She observes them with a thoughtful pause, “am I interrupting something?”

“No!” Brea bursts out a little too loudly. “We were just . . . I – uh.” She turns to Kylan for support.

“Brea was helping me to clean the wound.” He looks to her curiously, “I thought you wouldn’t be back until the morning?”

She nods curtly. “I wasn’t. But Rian informed me of your attack. I came to offer help.” Her gaze moves back and forth between him and Brea before settling on the Spriton. “But I can already see you’re in good hands.” She smirks, eyes knowing. Rummaging through her bag, she pulls out a small jar. “Rub this on the wounds and it should help to keep infection away.”

Kylan reaches out for it only to be dumbfounded when she places the jar in Brea’s hands instead. “Be liberal with it,” she tells the smaller gelfing. “It’ll help him with the pain too.” Brea nods.

He opens his mouth to speak although there are no words lying ready to go. Naia turns to him, eyes shining with delight. “Swift recovery.” She winks, “while I’m sure Brea is very capable . . .” She struggles to hide her grin. “Come to me if they get any worse.”

“Thank you.” Brea says softly as words once again evade him. As Naia leaves them alone once more, the two share an awkward glance. Pushing through it, Brea begins to open the jar. “Sit down,” she orders, attempting to return to some semblance of normal. The second her touch meets his skin, all those feeling resurface and knows that normal is gone.


End file.
